letson



3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

. (No Model.) Y l M. LETSON & I'. BURPEE.

CAN WASHER.

No.,525,022. Patented Aug. 28,` 1894.

la FIGA- (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

M. LBTSON- e ,P1 BURPEE. GAN WASHER.

No. 525,022. Patented Aug. 28, 1894.

(No Model.) 3 sheets-sheet a. M. LETSON 81: P. BURPEB.

' GAN WASHER.

No. 525,022. Patented Aug. 28, 1894.

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UNITED STATES VP.AT-ENTv Ormea.

CAN-WASHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 525,022, dated August 28, 1894.

Application tiled February 28,1894. Serial No. 501.824. (No model.) l

To @ZZ whom t may concern..-

Be it known that we, MOORE LETsoN and FRANK BURPEE, subjects of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at New Westminster,

in the county of Westminster and Province compact and efficient machine which will'reiceive the cans, cover the same vtemporarily to prevent the escape ot' the contents thereof,

carry them'through a jet of hot water or other cleansing agent, remove the surplus water and dry the surfaces of the cans, and finally transfer them to a continuously moving car rier, whereby they are transported to the ta- I where the caps are applied.

ble where the caps 'are applied.

In carrying out our invention we employ certain novel construction, combination and i arrangement of devices which will be fully; described hereinafter and specifically pointed out in the claims.

1n the drawings: Figure 1 is a plan View` of a machine embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a side view looking at the inlet or receiving side of the'rnaohine. Fig.`3 is a similar View looking at the discharge side of the ma- Y chine. Fig. 4 is a side viewV opposite to Fig. 1, partly broken' away to show the construction of the can-holder and co-operating parts. Fig..5 is a detail plan view of the water-box.` Fig. 6 is aV detail transverse section of the sanne on the' line 6-6 of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a a spur gear 9, said spur gear being arranged to mesh with a corresponding spur gear 10, which is fixed ,to a shaft 1l journaled in the bearings 12 and 13. Fixed to the opposite end of theshaft 11 is a pulley 14, connected to a smaller idle pulley 15, by a carrier belt 16, the upper side of which is arranged in a horizontal plane for a purpose hereinafter explained. The pulley 15 is carried by a shaft 17, journaled in the bearing 18. Said bearing is formed in the arms of a bifurcated casting 18, which is secured to the base 2 and is capable of horizontal adjustment to take up looseness of the bolt, such horizontal adjustment being accomplished by means of an adjusting screw 18b and the locking bolts 1S"- which pass through slots 18d in the lower end of said casting.

19 represents a shaft journaled in the bearf ings 20 and 21, and carrying a sprocket-wheel 22 which receives motion from the sprocketwheel 7 by means of the connecting chain 23, and 24 represents a pulley fixed to the shaft 19 to operate the carrier belt 25, by which the cans are carried from the delivery or discharge way of the machine to the table (not shown),

26 represents a rotary carriage which is journaled upon the vertical gudgeon 27, and is provided in its under side with peripheral gear-teeth 26, which are engaged by the bevel gear 8 whereby motion is communicated from the driving shaft to the carriage. Secured to the side of the rotary carriage is acan-holder 28, having a base 29, which extends out horizontally and is provided with a peripheral upstanding rim 29, to receive the bottom of a can and prevent lateral displacement thereof. Said base is carried by an arm 28a', at the lower end of the holder, and is provided with a vertical spindle 30, mounted rotatabl",l bearing in said arm, said spind being provided at its lower end with a pinion 3l, which engages a circular horizontal rack 32, supported upon standards 32a, projecting upward from the base. The base 29 and pinion 3l are secured to thespindle 30 by means of lefthand threads, whereby the rotary motion imparted to the pinion during the operation of the machine is conveyed through the spindle to the base 29 without detaching said parts. Fitted in a cavity in the base 291is a small IOO disk 33, provided with d Spindle 33a, which i extends downward through an axial bore in the spindle 30 and projects at its lower end below the under side of the pinion 31, for a tened to a casting 35, which is supported upon the base 2. The holder 28' is provided, in addition to the above mechanism, with guards 36, which embrace the sides of a can and extend infront and in rear thereof.

3 7 representsa rubber ring or collar, sprung over the edge ofthe cap '38, which is revolubly mounted upon the lower extremity of a vertically-slidable stem 39, said stem being fitted for vertical movement in a guide 39%, projecting from the upper end of the holder '28, whereby said guide is arranged in alignmentwith the axis of the spindle 30. This cap is adapted to Iit over the top of the can as it passes through the machine and form a temporary cover therefor to prevent the escape of the contents. The stem 39 is provided vabove the guide 39 with spaced collars 40, which are provided withv setscrews 40a, whereby they may be adjusted longitudinally rupon the stem. 41 representsa spring coiled upon the stem between said collars; and 42 represents a lever for raising and lowering said stem and provided at its inner end with an autifriction roll 43, whichtravels upon the circular cam 44.- The outer end of said lever bears against the under side of the upper collar 40 and the upper end of the spring 41, whereby when said outer end of the lever is elevated the cap 38 is raised and when said end of the lever is depressed the cap is lowi ered. By adjusting the lower collar40, the

tension of the spring 41 may be elevated to vary the pressure of the cap upon the top of i der surface of the rim 44, thereby elevating the cap '38, and upon the upper surface of the rim'44b, thereby depressing the cap 38. This cam is supported ina fixed position by a spider 44, which is secured to the upper end of the gudgeon 27.'

- 45 represents a water-box, supported by the standard 46, which is fitted in a vertical socket 47, formed on the base 2and held in the desired vertical adjustment by means ofv a set-screw 47a. The box 45'is secured to the upper end of the standard 46'by means of a transverse bolt 46?, and is substantially triangular in transverse section, with a narrow slot or vent 45a at one angle to allow the water to escapein the form of a narrow blade or stream. The body-portion of this box is provided at its upper edge with a groove 45",

in which is fitted a rubber gasket 45, andthe removable cover 45d bears upon said gasket, whereby by means of the adjusting bolts 45e the width of the vent 45a may be regulated to throw a stream of the desired volume. A flexible supply-pipe 45f is connected to one end of the water-box, as shown clearly in the drawings, and inasmuch as said supply-pipe is iexible the box maybe vertically adjusted -as may be required to' apply the stream of water to any part of the surface of a can.

48 represents a segmental rubber mat for drying the cans after having passed the water-box, said matbeing heldin place by means of metallic bands 49, arranged at the upper and lower edges ofthe mat and securing the same to a curved frame 50, which is carried by standards 51. The rubber mat is provided upon its inner surface with a series of spaced parallel inclined webs 48a, which come in contact with the surface of the can from the top to the bottom thereof; and as the can is rotated while in contact with the mat, it will -be understood that the water is removed effectively from its surface. The standards 5l are held in place by locking-bolts 51h, which engage slots 51c therein, and adjusting bolts 51d are employed to arrange the vstandards in the desired positions to insure the required pressure of the mat at all points upon-the cans.

52 represents a guiding arm, which is pivotally connected to an adjustable standard 53, bolted to the base 2, and connected to the free end of this guiding arm is a cord 56, which extends over a direction-pulley 54, mounted in a bracket 55, which is pivotally secured to a casting 58, which is bolted to 'the casting 18a, the other end of said cord being attached to a weight 57, whereby the guiding arm is normally held in the position shown in Fig. 1,in which its free end bears against the extremity of a guard 59, which forms an upstanding part of the casting 58, and which extends longitudinally along the outer edge of the belt 16 to prevent the lateral displacement of the cans as they are Vcarried by said belt to the inlet or receiving way of the machine. Said casting 58 extends horizontally under an intermediate portion of the belt 16 to support the same in ahorizonta'l yposition and prevent sagging by the weight of the superimposed cans; and from the inner edge of thisl horizontal portion rises a guard 60, which is arranged opposite to the guard 59 to prevent displacement of the cans in that direction. 6l represents a guide, held in place by a standard 6la secured to the base 2 and arranged to engage the cans after their release from the can holder, and guide the same to the carrier belt 25, and 62 represents an opposite guide provided with a horizontal extension Vor platform 62%which bridges the interval between the base 29 and the belt 25,

and supports the cans during their passage between the guides. The extension or platform 62a is extended beyond the guide 61 and IIO 30 holder.

arm y252 wisi-.to prevent the` crushingror bending,V

@e022 i -ris boltedtowthestandard' 61.' firepresents an -o-utleti to carryfo` the waste-water.

63 lrepresents th e; receptacle Ain 'which the cans areplaced preparatery to washing,A and 5 fromI which Itheyjare;` `*pushed-byA handto' the feedir1"g;. belt116-.- As :they are :moved :forward byymeansrv of this-belt` they are? guided and held from lateral displacement b'y; the parallel 1 o yielding y guide52li they; are 1- moved laterally until received by the can holder 28'.` It will be uunderstoodythat while `in the drawings we havefillustrated ,only one "can holder; similar holders will be Varrangedat-intervalsraround r 5 the periphery of -thefrotarycarriageatY suchrelati-ve' distances-that ther-guards-B will be in' contact attheirl extremities,-thusV forming acontinuous.` guard except .at the points `of entrance :to the hold-ers, such guard prevent-` zo ingfthe crowding; oi-V the cansas they'fleave thebeltflf', whereby-only 'a Ysingle can' enters` each holderf- Whenla holder reaches aiposi-L tion opposite the space between thewguard 60` and the guiding-arm 52a canpasses there-into. il z 5 and immediately-'the said lspace between-the guard 60 and the arm 52declosed ttop revent the-entrance of other cansby the portionof the ,guard h36, which isfarranged fbetween theL holder j ust occupied and they succeeding` Thefunction of theryielding. guide of the sidesofl a can Whenit connesbetween the acutefang-led "portion 65 oE-' the guard 36 and saidfarm. i At'terenteringgthe holder ther 3 5 canl is ycarried Vin front of :the water spray/,and

as the holder is rotated by the mesh-ingeeft:

the-pinion 3l Vwith the. stationaryrack32,34114 portions :of the-surfaceiof fthe" can are treated. with the,h`ot Water or: othericleansingaagent;

4o formingsuch sprayiE Itiwiil bei understood that, as soonas the canfhas :beenfreceived `in the holderit isycovered "by, the depression of', the: cap, 38, actuated by the i rockimfg-lever@t2A` and the cam 44. After passing-the spraythels; l 45 can is `rotated .in contactwiththe drying matl- 48, and after `leavinggthe latterfthel temporary? cap 38 is .elevated inthe-mannen before de scribed, and the lower end of th'esterny 33a'jengages the beveled surface-'of the block'34- and 5o is .elevated,.thus raising` the bottom ofthe can-l above` the plane of t the ,i rim on Vthe *base-529,l i

whereby, when uthe Yside of! the can-comesirr contact withV the curved guidefl it is movedA laterallylV from Vsaid baseL to4 the-platform 162%;

5 5 and .is then pushed forward, bvs-succeeding;

cans tothecarrier belt-25, and is-carried. as

beforeV mentioned-to ythe table where` the :lids 1 are applied.

T-hevarious members comprising them'ech` 6o ani'smare,asdescribedprovided with means:

for adjustment to takeup wear and adapt theA` device 'to Wash cansofdiderent-sizest The caps-38 xandbases. 29 aire adapted to befre-g placedbfyy corresponding partsfsuited fto i diff 65 feren-tsizes `and gshapes 1- ofi4 cansthef guards 36are i similarly replaceable, the spindle: 395

Havingfdescri'bedi our" invention, Lwhattwo combination of F af-rotaryvcarriage; meansf-for uponthecarri'age; aapinionaonftlrefcanfholderf -1 i engagingf a-r` stationary" annuilar-i rack; and spraying and drying ,devicesgsubstantiallyas specified; Y

2, In a ma'e'hinexiof the classdescrilced,`1the combination 'of airot'arya carri-age; .means '2 for operating the same",` ai can-:holdemn mounted upon the 'carriage :and lravingfafrotarybase,

cle described byfthe lcan-hfolder,,wirereiryitlre `ycan-holder `isr` rotated inf: the same direction' :with the fcarriage, sprayingdevicegand af afdrying:m-atfarranged? outsidefotthefpatirfot the hold-ente fbearfl againstithe .oirterfr' side-A of! jthe can; lsubstantially` .asvspecinedf` a sprayingmozzleand rdryinlgfmatgtofsaifed# ing belti to'` -convey'"the :canfs :te Ithe'carriage, vcarrier` beltl to recei ve the 'cansatterfleavi'ngf theE carriage-,- and a= stationary-guidefarrarrged in uxtaposition =to"said1 carrier belt ite 'guidl "iitzh'e lcausato theilatler;'substantially` as speciev I 4;, The- Ico mfbinati'onf with'a' rotaryjcarriage;

ICO

3.!The combination withta ro-tarycarri'age,

Imeans for operating the same, and statioiraryl washing and `dryingdevices, of'` a ica-n1 holder fixed to .thecarriage, altemporarycapadapted lto jcoverfan-d` close a y:can VwhenE arranged? in said holder, and: means f for" operatingl said-A cap,.snbstantiallyifasfspeciliedf.e

5. The combinatiorr'iwthan'dtaryacamlage;` vand `means-1t'orroperating fthefsamepandstation'ary` Washing and dryingdevices, ofia can 'holderwm'ounted upon 1 saidlparriagei and pro#` fvidedzwithf vafrevolubie fba'se'to` supportlfafcan,n 1a temporaryrcap to coverf'andcloseithe top of* the:can," and? means' .for-` rotatingzsaidf b'ase, substantially as specified:` j 6; T-hetcombination withiairotary'carriage ing` iaud .dryi ngdevi'ces arranged infoperativ'e"A relation with rsaid carriage,-of la* canV`4 holder f\ mounted fupon fthiefcarriage; aetexnporarycap adaptedeto lcover "and close-thecan supporteadEV `of said cap, and a cam arranged inioperativerA relation with the lever whereby the cap is al ternately raised and lowered to engage and release the can, substantially as specified.

7. The combination with a rotary carriage and means for operating the same, and washing and drying devices arranged in operativer relation with the carriage, of can holders mounted upon said carriage and provided with revoluble bases to support the cans, means for rotating said bases, vertically-movable disksarranged in cavities in the bases, means for elevating said disks, and a guide to engage the cans and move them laterally from the bases, substantially as specified.

8. The combination with a rotary carriage and means for operating the same, and washing and drying devices arranged in operative relation with the carriage, of can holders mounted ,upon the carriage and provided with revoluble bases to support the cans, disks 33 seated in cavities in the said bases, means for rotating the bases, a fixed cam block to engage the stems of said disks to elevate the same and the superimposed cans, and a guide 6l to remove the cans from the bases, substantially as specified.

9. The combination with a' rotary carriage and means for operating the same, and Washing and drying devices arranged in operative nrelaticn with the carriage, of can-feeding devices having a continuouslyfmoving belt 16, can holders mounted upon the carriage and provided with guards 36, and a guiding arml arranged to direct the canssuccessively into the holders, substantially as specified.

10. The combination with a rotary carriage and means for operating the same, and washing and drying devices, of feeding mechanism having a continuously-moving belt to convey the cans to the carriage, can holders mounted upon the carriage and having lateral guards, and a yielding guide arm arranged to direct the cans into the holders and adapted to yield to prevent injury thereto, substantially as specified.

11. The combination with a carriage and means for operating the same, and washing and drying devices, of a feeding mechanism having a continuously-movin g belt, outer and inner parallel guides arranged at the opposite edges of said belt, a pivotal guiding arm, and means for holding the free end thereof in contact with the outer of the parallel guides, and can holders mounted upon the carriage and adapted to receive the cans from the feeding mechanism, substantially as specified.

12. The combination with a rotary carriage and means for operating the same, can holders mounted upon said carriage, and feeding mechanism to convey the cans into said holders, of a washing device having a water-box ...provided with an elongated spray-opening,

means for adjusting the width of said opening, and a drying device arranged in operative relation lwith the carriage, substan tially' as specified. o. d Y

13. The combination with a rotary carriage and means for operating the same, can holders mounted upon the carriage, feeding mechanism arranged to convey the cans into said holders, and a washing device arranged in operative relation with the carriage, of a drying device consisting of a segmentally-disposed mat provided with outstanding webs, and means for adjusting said mat to the desired distance from the carriage, substantially as specified.

14. The combination with a rotary carriage and means for operating the same, can holders mounted upon said carriage and having revoluble bases provided with means for operating the same, feeding mechanism arranged to supply the cans and convey them into said holders, and a washing device arranged in operative relation with the carriage, of a drying device consisting of a segmen- 'tally-disposed mat provided with inclined outstanding webs to contact with the side surfaces of the rotating cans, and means for adjusting the mat toward and from the carriage, substantially as specified.

15. The combination with a rotary carriage and means for operating the same, washing and drying devices arranged in operative relation With the carriage, and can holders mounted upon the carriage, of a guide 61 to engage and guide the cans from the holders, an opposite guide 62, a platform arranged between said guides to receive the cans from the holders, and means for conveying the cans from said platform, substantially as specified.

16. The combination of a base provided with an upright gudgeon, a rotary carriage mounted upon said gudgeon, a driving-shaft mounted in bearings upon the base and connected by gearing to the said carriage, can holders mounted upon the carriage and having a rotary base, a fixed circular rack arranged to engage a pinion carried by said rotary base, and stationary Washing and drying devices arranged in operative relation with the carriage, substantially as specified.

17. The combination of a base having a verticalgudgeon, arotary carriage mounted upon said gudgeon, a driving-shaft geared to the carriage, washing and drying devices arranged in operative relation with the carriage, a cam 44 having a spider secured to the gudgeon, can holders mounted upon thel carriage and provided with revoluble bases, means for rotating the bases of the can holders, vertically-slidable stems 39 mounted inv guides carried by said holders, rotary caps' carried bythe stems to cover and close the cans, levers loosely connected to said stemsv and arranged in operative relation with the said cam, and springs 41 provided With-adjusting devices to vary the pressure ot' the caps uponthe cans, substantially as specified.

18. The combination Awith the rotary car-A riage, and means for operating the same, of

can-holders each provided with a rotary bas, our own we have hereto affixed our signatures a vertically-movable cap, and a packing-ring in the presence of two witnesses. removably tted on said cap to bear upon the MOORE LETSON. upper edge of a can, spraying devices, and FRANK BURPEE.

5 operating connections for the can-ho1ders, Witnesses:

substantially as specified. F. MCLENNAN,

In testimony that We claim the foregoing as WM. CARGILL. 

